Monday, 30 March 2015

For her wedding to Ed, Clare teamed the all-lace Stella dress with a gorgeous 60s-style updo and fabulous super-high heels for a chic and slinky look. (Look close further down the post and you'll see she cleverly has a pair of flats on standby for dancing in!)

Clare talks about her experience of choosing the perfect vintage wedding dress…

"I found Helena on a last minute hunt for a dress after another option fell through. It was the most welcoming and relaxed experience.

I shopped around a bit and didn't find anywhere else that offered such an individual and special approach.

All Helena's dresses are beautiful and as well as finding the right dress for me I had a brilliant time trying on a selection – some vintage and other originals all made or altered by Helena. They're all unique and alterations are offered by another lovely lady called Grace who Helena works with. (I've already recommended them to many friends!)

I loved wearing this dress on a day that I enjoyed more then I could possibly have imagined."

"I have never been a girl that has dreamt of the perfect wedding day or much of weddings at all to be honest but I absolutely loved it. I knew we'd have a lovely day but I had completely underestimated how very special it would be and as a memory always will be.

To have all the people you love with you to celebrate your future together is like nothing else. A day full of smiles, warmth, tears and much much love, topped off with dancing into the early hours."

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Amy chose the dress way back in 2011, for her wedding to Andy. But as John Lennon would say, life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.

Shortly after choosing the dress, Amy had the fantastic news that she was pregnant – and wedding plans no longer seemed top of the to-do list!

I was delighted to receive these photos a few months ago. At the end of last year - three years and one little boy later than originally planned - Amy finally got to wear her stunning dress. And, boy, she looks every bit as fabulous as ever.

A beautiful bride, a beautiful boy, and a day worth waiting for…
Congratulations Amy and Adam!Love HelenaHeavenly Vintage Brides

Friday, 20 March 2015

Dear ReaderRemember my predictions for wedding dress trends this year…? High necks, long sleeves, head to toe lace…

Well I was very pleased to see Ralph Lauren has taken my advice*. This romantic beauty from his 2015 collection last week has 'em all. Love those platforms worn underneath too.*Oh alright… I suppose he might have had the idea already…! Have a heavenly weekend, y'all.LoveHelenaHeavenly Vintage Brides

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

For her Hambleden wedding to Jim, Carolyn chose this fabulous 1960s mini wedding dress, by iconic 60s designer William Cahill.

The dress is a perfect example of swinging 60s style - in gorgeous lace with a flattering wide boat neck and swingy cape back. What a groovy bride!

We knew this was the right dress for Carolyn as soon as she tried it. In her words…

"I wanted to say a huge thank you for my beautiful Cahill dress. From the moment I tried it on it felt just right for the feel of for the wedding we wanted – beautiful and fun all at once.And I especially love that it came from such an important time for women.

The whole experience of choosing and fitting the dress with you and seamstress Grace was absolutely wonderful. Thank you again for being such a positive part of the whole wedding planning experience.”

Handsome groom Jim was rather fabulous too in his traditional kilt – perfect for a cosy country wedding...

Their day looks wonderful down to the last details. From Carolyn's teal fur wrap, perfectly toning with Jim's tartan, and even with the scrumptious nature-inspired cake made by talented bridesmaid Jenny!

And of course, one of the big advantages of a mini wedding dress – aside from being extremely fabulous and groovy – is there's no holding back on the dance floor!

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Welcome Dear Reader...

Thanks for visiting my vintage wedding blog today! I'd like to show you some of the fabulous original vintage wedding dresses I have for sale, as well as the Heavenly Collection - my own range of vintage-inspired wedding dresses.

And I'll answer some of the questions I'm often asked by my Heavenly brides, in a series of posts about how to choose, how to accessorize, and how to care for your special dress.

I hope you'll enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy sharing it with you.

View my new Heavenly Collection

Helena, in her studio at Heavenly Vintage Brides

About Heavenly Vintage Brides

Heavenly Vintage Brides is my unique collection of fabulous, vintage wedding dresses, sourced from all over the world.

Each gown is carefully selected, restored and adapted - making it perfect for the modern bride, whilst retaining its own unique charm.

In my West London studio, I hold around 70 beautiful styles which can be viewed in person or online.

And to offer a full choice of sizes and styles, I've created the new Heavenly Collection: a range of nine vintage-inspired designs - based on the prettiest, most elegant and most timeless vintage dresses.

Here, you can work with me to help personalise your own dress - choosing from a range of options for fabrics, colours, sleeve and skirt lengths.

I'm proud to have dressed beautiful brides from all around the world. To find out more, please contact me through my website.